Reverse t3

[Ari3]

I want to order reverse t3 test as it is very expensive if I would order just reverse t3 would it help me at all? Thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Ari3

I think you will be wasting your money.

Generally high rT3 is because of either too much T4 and some converts to rT3 rather than FT3 (for example, if you are taking Levo and your FT4 is over range) or other reasons for rT3 can be illness.

Your recent results show

01.06.18

tsh 5.21 (0.27-4.2)

ft4 13.5 (12.0-22.00)

ft3 4.2 (3.1-6.8 )

12.06.18

tsh 3.58

ft4 12.4

ft3 4.4

and you take NDT so you're not going to have a high FT4

And if you test and rT3 came back high, you wont know the reason because the test can't tell you that. I'd save your money and use it for something else.

[Ari3 in reply to SeasideSusie]

So for example what could be the reason of reverse t3 than ? Also I have this very very high hissing noise in my head all the time

[Marz in reply to Ari3]

Could be raised blood pressure or LOW B12

[Ari3 in reply to Marz]

Vitamin b12 was 606 last time so it is ok

[Marz in reply to Ari3]

Blood pressure ? So were you supplementing B12 when you had the test result you posted above ?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Ari3]

Mine needs to be over 1000 to stop my low B12 symptoms.

[ShinyB in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Do you know how that relates to my result ACTIVE B12 *> 256.0 pmol/L. 25.10 -165.00? Although mine was over range I do seem to have some low B12 symptoms. Thanks for any light you can shed

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to ShinyB]

Sorry, no, I've only ever had serum B12 done and just assumed that if I had an active B12 test it would show low levels.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Ari3]

Ari3

From StopTheThyroidMadness website

***Note that you can have either an iron problem, or a cortisol problem, or BOTH. There are other reasons you have high RT3, such as the excess inflammation and more, but the above are quite common and worthy to explore first.

Are there other reasons I could have too much RT3, even though the above are the main reasons for thyroid patients??

Yes, they include:

•Beta-blocker long-term use such as propranolol, metoprolol, etc. See this study.

•Chronic inflammation, whatever the cause, has risen RT3 in patients.

•Physical injury, a common cause of increased RT3

•Illnesses like the flu, a common cause of increased RT3

•Starvation/severe calorie restriction is known to raise RT3. See this study.

•Diabetes when poorly treated is known to increase RT3. See this study.

•Lyme disease

•Cirrhosis of the liver (page 38 here)

•Renal Failure (page 38 here)

•A fever of unknown cause (page 38 here)

•Detoxing of high heavy metals

Not necessarily related:

Lithium is sometimes stated to increase RT3, but for most, it hasn’t. Lithium in large doses instead inhibits the release of thyroid hormones from one’s thyroid due to the blocking against iodine, and instead, can lower RT3. press.endocrine.org/doi/abs... But note that we’re not talking about the very low doses of lithium that some take to help their methylation issues.

Excessively low carb diets are sometimes stated to increase RT3, but studies don’t show this. Instead, it may be more about calorie restriction.2

Another article mentions

Calorie restricted dieting - Especially HCG diets or VLCD (very low calorie diets). These diets have been shown to reduce metabolism, increase reverse T3 and make permanent weight loss almost IMPOSSIBLE.

Chronic illness and infections - This includes viral infections like infectious mononucleosis, bacterial overgrowth syndromes like SIBO and even chronic illness like: cancer, cardiac/heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and even obesity itself.

Chronic Inflammation - ANY cause of inflammation can result in decreased T4 to T3 conversion and higher levels of Reverse T3. Inflammatory states include: any untreated autoimmune disease, leptin resistance, insulin resistance, intestinal dysbiosis, cancer, etc.

Chronic untreated Gut infections/Imbalances - Up to 20% of T4 is converted to T3 in the gut, which means if you have gut issues you are missing out on up to 1/5th of your conversion power! Gut imbalances include: SIBO, dysbiosis, reflux/GERD, yeast overgrowth, history of chronic antibiotic use and inflammatory bowel disease.

Emotional and physiological stressors - This includes social issues like: death of a loved one, family problems, divorce, etc. And it also includes trauma: psychological (PTSD) and physical (motor vehicle accidents, TBI or otherwise). Read more here.

Certain Medications - The most common medications causing elevated Reverse T3 include: Blood pressure medications, diabetic medications, anti-seizure medications, narcotics and anti depressants. Take for instance beta blockers, these are used to treat symptoms of HYPERTHYROIDISM and is a common blood pressure medication!

[ShinyB in reply to SeasideSusie]

Good info re RT3. Thanks for posting, Susie

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Plus the RT3 test does not test vitamin levels either. Also takes two weeks to process

Only worth doing if FT4 is very high and FT3 is low

[greygoose in reply to SlowDragon]

Well, if you know your FT4 is very high and your FT3 is low, you know your rT3 is going to be high, so no point in testing then, either.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to greygoose]

Too true

[Kell-E]

You need the fT3 done at the same time. I had it done once because I wanted to know for sure where it was at. My fT4 was not high and my rT3 was high in range, whereas fT3 was low in range.

[Ari3 in reply to Kell-E]

Where u ordered yours? And what did u do with reverse t3? What was the reason u had reverse t3

[Kell-E in reply to Ari3]

I am in the US so I convinced my endo to run it.

[ShinyB in reply to Ari3]

I found this article quite helpful and easy to read. restartmed.com/reverse-t3/

[Marz in reply to Ari3]

Were you supplementing B12 when it was tested ? - or taking a B Complex ? See my reply above

[Ari3 in reply to Marz]

I was supplementing high potency b complex but didn’t take for few weeks and took it every two days but now Iam trying to take it every other day .which brand b complex are u using yourself?

[Marz in reply to Ari3]

Well that is why your B12 result was HIGH in range when tested. You need to be off any B12 for many months before testing. I was around 300 + for years after taking a B complex which culminated in spinal issues. You need to have further testing to establish whether or not you have B12 deficiency at a cellular level as the test you have had only tests the B12 in the blood - both bound and unbound. Only around 20% of that is available to be transported into the cells - where it is needed.

You also need Homocysteine and MMA tested ...

I self inject B12 weekly and take a B Complex by Thorne Research.

[Ari3 in reply to Marz]

I checked active b12 too it was on top of range. What is homocysteine and MMA? What does it show and can it be done in uk through gp? I never had vitamin b 12 dificiency I have always stayed 500-600

[Marz in reply to Ari3]

OK but the Active Test only tests the amount of B12 available to be transported to the cells. Please google information to find out more or - use the SEARCH FACILITY here on Thyroid UK - it's over 30 degrees here and I am exhausted ! We have to try and help ourselves otherwise it all gets very repetitive ....

[Judithdalston]

Don't bother - expensive test that might just show something somewhere off...but could be anything from chronic disease to acute illness, low iron to excessive dieting, stress to certain meds ..... with a good TSH, FT4, FT3 and total Thyroxin test from single blood draw you will ( or the forum members will) be able to tell more re your thyroid health.

[Ari3 in reply to Judithdalston]

So it is not necessary to do full blood panel of thyroid can I do than just all above with out rt3?

[Judithdalston in reply to Ari3]

Yes, if you look for eg at Medichecks you will find a test that does TSH, full thyroxin, FT3, FT4, folate, ferritin, Vit D and B12, plus 2 thyroid autoimmune antibodies...yesterday , and every Thursday this July I believe , it is being offered at £79. But look at other tests - don't do a single thyroid one as it needs the other hormones from same blood draw too to compare levels.